Beef Producers - Have You Completed Your Beef Survey?

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is conducting a beef program survey to determine the direction of the Maine Extension Education Program for beef producers. It only takes a few minutes to complete the survey online at http://conta.cc/beefsurvey or for a paper copy of the survey call (207) 581-2788 or in Maine 1-800-287-0274.

Pasture Management Course - Online Home Study Course

A number of years ago I helped revise a home study pasture management course that was originally produced in Minnesota. Initially we offered it in a paper version for $25.  We now offer it for free on the web here Pasture Management Online Home Study Course 

There are basically two ways of managing the grazing area on a farm: continuous and managed grazing.  Both strategies have advantages and disadvantages.  In a continuous grazing system, set-up cost and time required for planning, managing and monitoring are lower.  But, if stocking rate is low, animals use the pasture resource inefficiently by spot grazing only 30 to 35% of the forage available.  If the stocking rate is too high, overgrazing will occur.  Both situations lead to weed problems and depletion of legumes and preferred grasses, resulting in high re-seeding and herbicide costs, and reduced meat and/or milk production per acre. 

In contrast, managed grazing promotes pasture productivity and biodiversity (with fewer weeds), and allows for making hay or stockpiling to lengthen the grazing season.  These advantages are a result of time spent in planning, managing and monitoring and higher initial investment in setting up the system.

The Pasture Management Online Home Study Course can help guide you through the planning process to make your pastures more productive and able to support more animals.

• Planning a grazing system
• Plant species selection
• Fencing systems
• Weed management
• Grazier's Arithmetic
• Managing for a Year-Long forage supply
• Water systems

 Source: Anderson, Andries, Brzozowski, Hughes, Lamb, Poter, Kersbergen, UMCE Pasture Management Home Study Course Series, 2002.

Standard Grades for Feeder Cattle

This past weekend the Maine Beef Producers Association sponsored a pre-conditioned feeder calf sale in Richmond. Before the auction they had a number of speakers talk about producing and caring for feeder cattle. There were a number of 4-H youth who attended and many were able to purchase their beef project animal for 2010. 

Two of the speakers were USDA graders from Pennsylvania and Iowa. They stressed the importance of learning about the different grades of cattle so you will be able to compare your cattle prices to those reported in the larger sales. In 2000 grading standards were revised to reflect changes in genetics, production, marketing and management of beef cattle.  The updated frame size and muscle thickness grades more accurately reflect the value of today's feeder cattle.  Another factor that is considered it flesh cover.

Frame size is related to the weight at which, under normal feeding and management practices, an animal will produce a carcass that will grade Choice. Large frame animals require a longer time in the feedlot to reach a given grande and will weigh more than a small-framed animal would at the same grade. Thickness is related to muscle to bone ration and at a given degree of fatness to carcass yield grade. Thicker muscled animals will have more lean meat. The feeder cattle standards recognize three frame size grades and four muscle thickness grades.

A nice publication that helps explain the frame size and muscle thickness grades is Facts About: U.S. Standards for Grades of Feeder Cattle. Here is a pocket card to help with frame size, muscle thickness and flesh at Feeder Cattle Evaluation Factors.

For more information about the Agriculture Marketing Service and to find daily and weekly market reports you can go to www.ams.usda.gov